Editing Worldwatch Institute

{{Short description|American environmental organization}}
{{Infobox organization
| formation = {{start date and age|1974}}
| logo = Worldwatch Institute logo.jpeg
| dissolved = {{end date and age|2017}}
| leader_title = Founder
| leader_name = [[Lester R. Brown]]
| website = https://worldwatch.org
}}{{Other uses|Worldwatch (disambiguation){{!}}Worldwatch}}

The '''Worldwatch Institute''' was a globally focused [[environmental research]] organization based in [[Washington, D.C.]], founded by [[Lester R. Brown]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Goldenberg|first=Suzanne|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/25/lester-brown-vast-dust-bowls-threaten-tens-of-millions-with-hunger|title=Lester Brown: 'Vast dust bowls threaten tens of millions with hunger'|date=2015-02-25|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-04-24|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Worldwatch was named as one of the top ten [[sustainable development]] research organizations by [[Globescan]] Survey of Sustainability Experts.

Brown left to found the [[Earth Policy Institute]] in 2000. The institute terminated in 2017, after publication of its last ''[[State of the World (book series)|State of the World]] Report''. Worldwatch.org was unreachable from mid 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Home |url=http://www.worldwatch.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928205157/http://www.worldwatch.org/ |archive-date=28 September 2019 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=Worldwatch Institute}}</ref>

==Mission==
The mission of the Institute read: "Through research and outreach that inspire action, the Worldwatch Institute works to accelerate the transition to a [[sustainable]] world that meets human needs. The Institute's top mission objectives are universal access to [[renewable energy]] and [[nutritious]] food, expansion of [[environmentally sound]] jobs and development, transformation of cultures from [[consumerism]] to sustainability, and an early end to [[population growth]] through healthy and intentional [[childbearing]]."<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Worldwatch Institute|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/mission|title=Mission}}</ref>

The Worldwatch Institute aimed to inform policymakers and the public about the links between the [[world economy]] and its environmental support systems. Research conducted by the institute was integrative or interdisciplinary and global in scope.<ref>Thaddeus C. Trzyna et al. (1996). [https://books.google.com/books?id=STAM4cTZ9JkC&dq=worldwatch+environmental+group&pg=PA245 World directory of environmental organizations] ''[[Earthscan]]'', p. 246.</ref>

Worldwatch's priority programs included: 
*Building a [[low-carbon]] energy system that dramatically reduces the use of [[fossil fuels]] and lowers [[greenhouse gas emissions]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/climate-energy|title=Climate & Energy - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org|access-date=2011-10-18|archive-date=2018-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714221926/http://www.worldwatch.org/climate-energy|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Nourishing the Planet - methods that create a [[sustainable food systems|sustainable food]] production system that provides a healthy, nutritious diet for all while sustaining the land, water, and [[biological resources]] on which life depends. The project resulted in the Worldwatch Institute's flagship publication, ''State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/sow11|title=State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org|access-date=2011-03-31|archive-date=2011-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110418193135/http://www.worldwatch.org/sow11|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/food-agriculture|title=Food & Agriculture - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org|access-date=2011-10-18|archive-date=2018-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714221950/http://www.worldwatch.org/food-agriculture|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[economical change|Transforming economies]], [[Culture change|cultures]], and societies that meets human needs, promotes [[prosperity]], and is in harmony with [[nature]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/environment-society|title=Environment & Society - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org|access-date=2011-10-18|archive-date=2018-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714221915/http://www.worldwatch.org/environment-society|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Worldwatch also monitored human [[health]], [[human population|population]], [[water resources]], [[biodiversity]], [[environmental governance|governance]], and [[environmental security]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/programs|title=Worldwatch Research and Programs - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org}}</ref>

==History==
* 1974—The institute was founded by Lester Brown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/node/23|title=Mission - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org|access-date=2008-07-17|archive-date=2016-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202052724/http://worldwatch.org/node/23/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 1975—The first ''Worldwatch Paper'' was published.
* 1984—First [[State of the World (book series)|State of the World]] published.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/38|title=State of the World Reports - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org|access-date=2008-07-17|archive-date=2011-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210063613/http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/38|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 1988—''World Watch Magazine'' was launched.
* 1992—''Vital Signs'', Worldwatch's third annual series, was premiered.
* 2000—[[Christopher Flavin]] became President of Worldwatch in October.
* 2000—[[Lester R. Brown]] left, to found the [[Earth Policy Institute]] in 2001.
* 2008—Worldwatch hosted the 20th Anniversary of the [[James E. Hansen]] hearings.
* 2010—July/August edition of ''World Watch magazine'' was the last.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norman |first=Brett |date=May 18, 2010 |title=Who's Watching the World, Now? |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_observatory/whos_watching_the_world_now.php |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}</ref>
* 2011—[[Robert Engelman]] became President of Worldwatch in October.
* 2014—Ed Groark became Acting Interim President of Worldwatch.
* 2017—Ceased operations after its last ''State of the World'' report was published.

==Publications==
Worldwatch Institute publications have been published in more than three dozen languages by its global partners in 40 countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/37|title=Bookstore - Worldwatch Institute|website=www.worldwatch.org|access-date=2008-07-17|archive-date=2012-11-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112160218/http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/37|url-status=dead}}</ref> Worldwatch publications include:
* The ''[[State of the World (book series)|State of the World]]'' report is an annual assessment of urgent global environmental problems and the innovative ideas proposed and applied across the globe to address them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Author.aspx?id=7808|title=The Worldwatch Institute - W. W. Norton & Company|website=books.wwnorton.com}}</ref>
* ''Vital Signs'' tracks social, environmental and economic trends and publishes data and analysis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vitalsigns.worldwatch.org/|title=Vital Signs Online|website=vitalsigns.worldwatch.org|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805231816/http://vitalsigns.worldwatch.org/}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Lester R. Brown]], founder of Worldwatch Institute
*[[Ed Ayres (environmentalist)|Ed Ayres]], former editor of ''Worldwatch'', which ceased publication in 2010.
*[[Sustainable Development]]
*[[Environmental Movement]]
*[[List of environmental organizations]]
*[[World Nuclear Industry Status Report]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Twitter|worldwatch}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Environmental organizations based in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1974]]
[[Category:1974 establishments in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Think tanks based in the United States]]
[[Category:Human overpopulation think tanks]]
[[Category:Population concern advocacy groups]]
[[Category:Population concern organizations]]